Killzone 3 (KZ3) is a very much anticipated title for the PlayStation 3 this winter, and at E3. The PlayStation booth not only had stations for two dimensions but also the 3D version of 3D. With Sony’s big push for 3D Kombo was very excited to see how 3D impacted a well known franchise. The three demos offered featured the jetpack, an on rails turret experience and another that was not detailed. Wanting to know most about the newest feature we chose jet pack mission.

The pre-alpha demo started by having Sev, returning from the previous Killzone jump in to a jet pack in a glacier environment. The 3D effect was met with mixed reactions as some Kombo reviewers saw double vision through the 3D glasses, this wasn’t consistent as others saw it normally. This may be because of glasses or contacts but either way this was disconcerting for an upcoming flagship 3D title. Working with the 3D effect gave everything a depth to the game and structures such as Helghast outposts and crumbling glaciers. Enemies didn’t look too different in the 3D setting.

The demo had Sev work the jet pack to eliminate an enemy presence on a snowy Helghast facility. The jet pack frame could hover, fly vertically and speed boost throughout the map. The enemy soldiers fell like swiss cheese to the jetpack’s machine gun and it was a blast to hover and eliminate enemies from above.
The movement with the jet pack was very solid with the right amount of unbalanced fusion of power and stability. We finished the demo by hopping from glacier to glacier, emphasizing the speed boost feature of the jet pack to catch on to the edge of the glaciers. The end of the demo finished by having Sev eliminate all combatants, no story elements were revealed as to why Sev was in an arctic environment and no multiplayer details were released.

In the end the 3D stayed consistent with all of the sporadic movement of the jetpack and it didn’t feel overwhelming or blurry at any time, but I was one that didn’t get any headaches during Avatar. KZ3 looks like a solid visual title with the previously acclaimed gameplay and hits all of the right features with the new direction of the jet pack. The 3D will be an interesting element to play with not breaking or making the game in any particular way.

KZ3 will ship this winter on the PS3.